A vehicle operates by consuming fuel, such as gasoline, diesel, or electricity in the case of electric/hybrid vehicles. Bad fuel can leave a driver and passengers stranded on the road in need of emergency road side service, and in many instances, results in permanent damage to the vehicle.
Meanwhile, vehicle telematics devices are known. Telematics includes the use of technology to communicate information from one location to another. Telematics has been used for various applications, including for the exchange of information with electronic sensors. As telematics technology has progressed, various communication methodologies have been incorporated into automobiles and other types of vehicles. Telematics systems such as on-board diagnostics (OBD) systems may be used in automobiles and other vehicles. OBD systems provide information from the vehicle's on-board computers and sensors, allowing users to monitor a wide variety of information relating to the vehicle systems, such as engine RPM, emissions control, coolant temperature, vehicle speed, timing advance, throttle position, and oxygen sensing, and many other types of data. Telematics devices installed within vehicles may be configured to access the vehicle computers and sensor data, and transmit the data to a display within the vehicle, a personal computer or mobile device, or to a centralized data processing system. Data obtained from OBD systems may be used for a variety of purposes.
While the risks and dangers of bad fuel have been known for a long time, there remains much room for improvement in the ability to detect bad fuel and to take actions to prevent the effects of the bad fuel from becoming epidemic.